Keeping in shape

Crown line-up: [back row, LtoR] Sothearith, Dara, Obadin, Visokra, Njoku, Vanthan [front row] Pheng, Narong, Virak, Sophat, Chaya

To keep in shape for their pending Hun Sen Cup quarter-final against Build Bright next weekend, Phnom Penh Crown yesterday faced the African All Stars XI, at their Tuol Kork training ground. Crown held back their national team players, fresh back from their AFC Challenge Cup qualification game in Macau, to give their squad players more match experience against a strong and tactically aware African line-up. Chan Chaya netted on 25 minutes to put Crown ahead, though they were pegged back on half-time by a debatable penalty award, scored by Paris. On 70 minutes an own goal put Crown ahead again before a mix-up in defence five minutes later, allowed Adobayo to score to end the game at 2-2. Coach Bojan Hodak was satisfied. "It was a good game, we showed good physical fitness and it was a good learning game for our younger boys. I put the national players on for the last thirty minutes and we really dominated." Crown gave more game-time to the Stung Treng duo of Hok Sochivorn and skipper Kim Sophanal as well as bringing on young striker Hong Pheng from Siem Reap-based Baksey Chamkrong, who did well in the Hun Sen Cup group matches last month.

Crown starting line-up: Visokra (Bunchhay 45), Dara (Sovan 70), Vanthan (Narith 65), Sothearith (Sochivorn 45), Obadin (Tiny 65); Narong (Sophanal 43), Sophat (Sopanha 65), Virak (Ratana 45), Chaya (Rathanak 75); Njoku (Sokumpheak 65), S Pheng (H Pheng 70).